Asia-Pacific Markets Mixed As Investors Assess Australia Inflation Data
Asia-Pacific markets were mixed Wednesday after key Wall Street benchmarks rose, with the Nasdaq Composite closing at a new record high as tech stocks gained.
Traders in Asia assessed consumer price data out of Australia, with headline inflation for the September quarter rising at 2.8% year year on year, the lowest since first quarter 2021. Economists polled by Reuters had expected it to be at 2.9%.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was trading 0.35% lower.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 opened 1% higher, while the Topix advanced 0.8%.
The Bank of Japan will start its 2-day policy meeting on Wednesday, with economists polled by Reuters expecting the bank to keep interest rates steady at 0.25%.
South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.3%, while the small-cap Kosdaq was up 0.2%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell 0.5%, while China’s CSI 300 was trading flat.
TICKER | COMPANY | NAME | PRICE | CHANGE | %CHANGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.N225 | Nikkei 225 Index | *NIKKEI | 39314.27 | 410.59 | 1.06 |
.HSI | Hang Seng Index | *HSI | 20589.36 | -111.78 | -0.54 |
.AXJO | S&P/ASX 200 | *ASX 200 | 8205.8 | -43.4 | -0.53 |
.SSEC | Shanghai | *SHANGHAI | 3285.21 | -1.19 | -0.04 |
.KS11 | KOSPI Index | *KOSPI | 2611.22 | -6.58 | -0.25 |
.FTFCNBCA | CNBC 100 ASIA IDX | *CNBC 100 | 10245.3 | 33.87 | 0.33 |
In the U.S., the tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 0.78% to close at a record high of 18,712.75.
The S&P 500 added 0.16% to close at 5,832.92, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 154.52 points, or 0.36%, to end at 42,233.05.